Four men have been arrested following a car chase and a pair of alleged carjackings.
The violent incidents happened Tuesday afternoon and evening. Police say three of the men, who are all 18 years of age, first knocked a man unconscious in a Ballston parking garage and stole his Honda Civic.
While driving the stolen car, they later rear-ended a BMW on S. Glebe Road, in the Crystal City/Potomac Yard area, and then “began performing donuts in the roadway” before getting out, striking the female driver of the BMW in the head and stealing her car, according to police.
The stolen BMW was found crashed in D.C. The Civic was spotted by Fairfax County police and the four men were subsequently taken into custody after a brief car chase, Arlington County Police said.
In an unrelated car-related incident, an unattended vehicle was reportedly stolen on S. Eads Street this afternoon in the Crystal City/Pentagon City area — a crime similar to one reported near the Pentagon City Costco parking lot last month.
More from an ACPD press release:
Four suspects are facing charges following a series of auto-related crimes in which the vehicles were taken by force. Destiny Morris, 18, of Annandale, VA, Denali Goodridge, 18, of Washington D.C., Treshawn Taylor, 18, of Alexandria, VA and Ayinde Mason, 18, of Washington D.C. have been charged with carjacking. Additional charges are pending.
At approximately 2:37 p.m. on July 21, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force in the 4600 block of Fairfax Drive. Upon arrival, it was determined medics responded to the report of a man down. When the victim regained consciousness, he reported having been assaulted by three unknown male suspects while walking through the garage after parking his vehicle. Following the assault, the suspects stole the victim’s Honda Civic and personal belongings before fleeing the scene in his vehicle. The victim was transported by medics to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
At approximately 6:06 p.m. on July 21, police were dispatched to the report of a hit-and-run crash at the intersection of Potomac Avenue and S. Glebe Road. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim was stopped at a red light when she was rear ended by the suspect vehicle, which was determined to be the Honda Civic previously reported stolen from the 4600 block of Fairfax Drive. The victim pulled over, called police and exited her BMW to assess the damage. The suspect then proceeded past her and began performing doughnuts in the roadway before driving back towards the victim and parking in front of her vehicle. Four suspects then exited the vehicle and surrounded the victim. One suspect struck the victim in the head, got into her vehicle and fled the scene with the Honda Civic following behind.
A lookout was broadcast to area law enforcement agencies for the stolen vehicles. The Metropolitan Police Department recovered the unoccupied BMW after it crashed, and the occupants fled the scene. The Honda Civic was located in Fairfax County and, following a brief pursuit by Fairfax County Police Department, the suspects were taken into custody.
This incident remains an active criminal investigation and the arrestees are suspects in additional auto offenses in Arlington. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
Safety Tips and Crime Prevention Measures
The Arlington County Police Department is sharing the following tips to help keep you safe when using and parking your vehicle:
- Park in well-lit, high traffic areas
- Exit your vehicle and continue to your destination promptly after parking
- Be aware of your surroundings when entering and exiting your vehicle
- If in doubt, don’t get out of your vehicle — drive away and park someplace else
- Never leave your vehicle running unattended, even if you are making short trips
- Limit your use of devices that may distract you, such as cell phones and headphones
- Don’t leave items unattended or visible in your vehicle
The department’s efforts to prevent crime in Arlington County are enhanced by the active involvement of the public. If you observe suspicious activity or are the victim of a crime, contact police immediately by calling the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222 or 911 in an emergency.